Pokemon2: Seeking Death
by Sarie Cigam
Summary: After the War, only a few years after, life is returning to normal. However, in the shadows a dark memory lurks, and it is intent on rending the peace away. This is a sequal to Pokemon2: A New Dimension, but you didn't have to read that to read this. R


Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.

Note: This is a sequal, but you don't have to have read my fist fic... just know that Taro evolved from a bad guy to a good one, that he's married to Adnap, that Sarie is married to Alec, and that Ryblade is an evil part-eevee part-grass daemon who likes to kill things. Enjoy!

  
  


Pokemon 2: Seeking Death

Prologue

A Time of Healing

Fucia was quiet that year. It had been nearly seven peaceful years since the Battle of the Dimensions, in which all of creation was almost wiped out. The scars still showed in the heavily depleted pokemon populations and haunted looks in the eyes of some of the survivors. One of those still haunted was Taro Shiddo.

Taro still carried wounds from years before the Battle even began, so wounds from the battle merely added layers to the many scars he carried. Only now, six-and-a-half years later, was he starting to lose that haunted look. He now ran the Safari Zone with his wife Adnap, and had recently become a father. Nowadays, the almost-hoodlum Tauros wrangler from Fucia's slums was making quite a name for himself. Everyone who had known Taro was amazed at his transformation. Adnap, however, had always seemed confidant in him.

Adnap, who had always loved young children and pokemon, now found herself with two little ones to care for. Taro and Adnap's twin children, Erik and Kara, were still only a few weeks old, but already they showed their parent's aptitude for pokemon care. Both children adored Adnap's Arcanine, Growlie, and Taro's Tauros, and both pokemon had given up some of their winter coats for blankets for the twins. All in all, Fucia was at peace. The whole community had rejoiced in their new Safari Zone caretakers, fearing that the Safari Zone's closing after the Warden's death would be permanent. Now, however, the place was open and running, better than ever.

Across the continent in Veridian, things were similarly peaceful. Soon after the Battle, Sarie had begun rebuilding the city. Giovanni, boss of Team Rocket, had made a mess of the city and its gym, and it had been up to the new leader to set things right again. In only six short years, Sarie had rebuilt the gym, built a science laboratory, modernized the pokemon Center, and added new items to the stock at the Pokemart. Now she and her husband of only 6 months could relax and tend to their gym, as they had meant to do in the first place. 

A gorgeous female persian lounged on the Gym's front steps, lazily grooming her left front paw in the warm summer sun's light. The creature was missing one ear and half of another, but besides that, nothing else marred her beauty. The sunlight sparkled on her snow-white fur, and the ruby on her forehead glowed like fire. Mew finished her grooming and slipped silently through a cat-flap in the gym door, purring indulgently as she headed for her food bowl.

The persian passed a large Nidoqueen lying peacefully on a red carpet, watching her brood of three nidoran play happily in a streak of molten sunlight that streamed in through an open window. The Nidoqueen's single ear rotated slightly at the soft sound of Mew's footsteps, and she nodded a greeting to the persian. "Fine day today, I think."

"Any day is fine when the sun's shining and there are no battles to be fought." Mew agreed, finishing her snack of specially prepared and fortified pokemon food.

"Aye, but I think we have a visitor. Maybe we'll fight after all." Nida inclined her head towards the door where a small boy was waiting nervously.

Mew nodded. "I'll go get Sarie. Today was becoming boring, anyway."

Nida laughed a deep, comfortable laugh. "Mew, you old fighter, it's only ten in the morning. What, more than a few hours and you're ready to fight again? I thought ye said any day without a battle was a fine one."

Mew purred slyly. "You never know, my skills might impress someone."

Nida raised one eyebrow. "Slash, right?"

Mew merely laughed and leaped in a flicker of ice-white fur past the gym's main battle room and into an outdoor sitting room, surrounded by mosquito netting and filled with plants of all kinds and numerous comfortable deck chairs. Sarie Flare, master of the gym, was seated in one chair reading the newspaper. She didn't bother to look up when greeting Mew; She knew the cat pokemon was there even before she heard the soft footsteps. Each of her pokemon had a special bond with her, brought on through years of training and friendship.

"Let me guess, someone's here to challenge me right?" She said, smiling at Mew as she put down the paper. Mew nodded and leaped up onto the table in front of Sarie, purring and rubbing her head against her master's cheek and arms.

(Some little boy. It shouldn't be too much of a fight.) She said, rolling lazily onto her back so that Sarie could scratch her tummy.

"So early in the morning? They come sooner every year." Sarie shoved back the chair and stood slowly up, groaning as she stretched her muscles.

Mew placed one soft paw on Sarie's bulging belly, looking inquiringly up at her master. (You can stay here, I'm sure Alec, or even Tassadar, can take care of it.)

"I'm not incapacitated, you know. Besides, trainers who start learning early get a head start in life." Sarie smiled, stepping through the doorway into her gym.

(Right, like they can see...) Mew snorted.

Just then, Alec stepped into the gym and ran over to his wife. "Sarie, stop moving around!" He protested as she stepped up onto the battle platform.

Sarie threw up her hands, exasperated. "You two, stop fussing over me. I'm not due for at least three more months."

Alec backed off, reluctantly, but Mew stepped onto the platform beside Sarie. (Can I fight? Please?) She asked, looking cutely up at Sarie.

"For just a little kid? No, let's go easy on the poor guy." Sarie pressed a button on the control panel in front of her and the gym doors opened. The little boy stepped cautiously into the gym, alert and watchful and more than a little in awe. 

"I'd like to earn my Earthbadge, please." He said, peering up at Sarie with huge, nervous brown eyes.

"Certainly, young man. You look like a tough character. What do you say to a three-on-three battle?" Sarie said kindly, rising slowly from her chair. She wished silently that she had remembered to grab her black-and-emerald gym leader's cloak from the closet, but decided that might have further intimidated the boy.

"Sure, sounds great!" He said, grinning. All nervousness vanished as he pulled a pokeball from his backpack. "Go, Kingdra!"

Sarie smiled when she saw the recently discovered pokemon. All these younger trainers used the new species only because they were new. She shrugged slightly. Fighting old-school was her specialty, and no new type had ever bested her in a fight. "Go, Wartortel!"

(Are we letting this one win, master Sarie?) Wartortel asked as he landed in the arena.

I'm feeling generous, so yes. Sarie said psychically. Then, out loud, she called "Surf now!"

"Kingdra, thunder!"

Of course, Kingdra's thunder took Wartortel down in one blow; at least, it seemed to. As wartortel was returned, groaning artfully, he winked at Sarie.

"Yeah, Kingdra, way to go! That badge is as good as mine!" The boy cheered, returning Kingdra.

"You fight well. Go, Wheezing!"

"This one's easy. Go, Mr. Mime!"

"Wheezing, selfdestruct!"

Wheezing blew up spectacularly before the boy could call an attack. Wisps of black, foul-smelling smoke hid the still in-tact Wheezing as he was returned, completely unharmed. (Nice sludge-flamethrower combo, eh? I always loved fireworks.) He cackled.

"No, Mr. Mime!" the boy cried, rushing to his fainted pokemon. Mr. Mime looked up weakly and coughed out some smoke as it was returned.

"Last one, let's see how you do!" the boy said, hurling the pokeball high into the air with a flourish. Sarie seemed to recognize something about that style of battle before, and the boy's next pokemon made her positive about the boy's identity. "Pikachu, your turn!"

"Hey, you're Oak Ketchum aren't you?" She asked.

"Yeah, why?" Oak asked suspiciously.

"I knew your parents. The last time I saw you, you were in diapers." Sarie laughed.

Oak blushed furiously. "Can we get on with the battle? I want my badge!"

"All right, if you can earn it." Sarie suppressed a grin; Ash and Misty Ketchum wouldn't object to a few lessons in fighting to their child. Flexing her fingers gleefully, Sarie nodded to Mew. "Do your stuff, girl."

Mew purred viciously and gave a huge feral grin. She leaped lightly into the arena and began stalking the pikachu, fangs bared. Pikachu quivered in terror, yet still managed to pull off a thunder attack. Mew, of course, dodged easily. Sarie spoke not a single command to Mew, and although she remained silent, years of closeness between master and pokemon had created a battle technique that needed no words. Sarie taught Mew new attacks, and Mew used them as she saw fit.

After dodging the numerous lightning blasts from Pikachu, Mew had stored up enough energy and speed to launch her own devastating attack. In an official move known only by Sarie and her pokemon, Mew unleashed a furious barrage of thunder-powered slash attacks. The move effectively short-circuited pikachu and, in a single second, fainted it.

"Pikachu!" Oak cried, picking up his fainted pokemon. Then he stared at Sarie with something close to reverence. "My parents said you were good, but they didn't specify that you were that good. This is my father's pikachu."

Sarie suppressed a small smirk of satisfaction. She didn't tell Oak that his father's pikachu had never won a fight against Mew. "Well, train a little and then come back. We'll see if you can earn a badge then."

Oak nodded and left the gym, carrying Pikachu in his arms. Sarie watched him go, then stepped down from the battle platform triumphantly. Just as she stepped down, she felt a small rustle of movement from inside her, and she smiled softly. "I see you approve, don't you."

***

Later that night, while the whole household was deep in slumber, a huge blue-white bird landed softly outside the Flare's bedroom window. The Articuno folded his massive, glittering wings and stuck his great neck through the window, peering with a single eye at Sarie. Then he began to sing a sweet, soaring song with not a single word. The song, however, conveyed meanings to Sarie that translated into words in her dream.

In the dream Sarie was riding on the back of a massive green bird that smelled like forests. Abruptly, the bird became a Ryblade. Sarie tried to get off the ryblade's broad back, but found she didn't have the will to. Suddenly a Ryticuno ran beside her, its shimmering coat filling the air with sparkling ice crystals. It turned to face her with unimaginably blue eyes that seemed to look into her soul. In a voice so pure it was painful, it began to sing. The wordless song filled Sarie's soul and conveyed its meaning to her in feelings.

One day the darkness will return,

The bindings of death released,

The power restored.

Once again the Chosen Five will face danger,

Two paths to be walked, one death, one life,

The cure lies in the Faithful Ones.

Brother to the Leader shall reveal his true form,

Deep-buried traits will be seen in the unborn,

Darkness will try to rend the children of light away.

Keep thy children safe, Leader, for if thy children die,

So shall everything die with them.

When Sarie awoke the next day, she remembered nothing of the dream or the song.

Chapter 2

3 months 2 early

"Damnit, it's too early Sarie!" Alec cried as he drove through the silent streets of Veridian.

"I know," Sarie gasped, "But I can't do anything about it!"

Earlier that day Sarie had started feeling a strange tightening in her abdomen, but since she was only 6 months pregnant, she passed them off as nothing. Now, however, she realized that she was indeed in labor, and she was very, very frightened.

Beside her on the car's seat was Mew, purring anxiously to her master, her tail swishing back and forth in agitation. Nida was also there, offering her advice and council to the terrified mother. Alec was driving as fast as he possibly could drive, safely, but Stryka still managed to keep up. Helia perched precariously on the dodrio's back. Powerplant was in his pokeball which was sealed safely in a pouch around Helia's neck. Tassadar, of course, was in the front seat of the car, trying to keep both Alec and Sarie calm.

"Damnit, Tassadar, I'm about to have two children three months early!" Sarie snarled, wincing as another contraction hit.

"I'm sure there's a reason. You'll be fine." Tassadar insisted. "Alec, watch the other lanes of traffic! Give me the wheel!" Psychically, Tassadar took command of the wheel, narrowly missing a speeding car heading straight for them. "You were in the wrong lane!"

They made it to the hospital in what seemed to Sarie and Alec like hours, and both humans and the six pokemon piled into the Hospital waiting room, babbling like crazed maniacs. A tall, tired-looking doctor came up to them angrily, gaping at the pokemon. "Excuse me, we don't allow pokemon in here!"

"Shut up, doc." Tassadar said flatly. "This woman is quite far into labor. Now, are you going to help, or complain about well-trained creatures calmer than half the patients here?"

The doctor stared at the Alakasam in shock for a moment, then called for a wheelchair. After a brief examination of Sarie he said, "She's fully dilated. Get her into the maternity ward." 

A nurse promptly wheeled Sarie down the shining white hallway with Alec, Stryka, Nida, and Tassadar running to keep up.

"We can't allow anyone but the father in the delivery room." The nurse said calmly.

"The Nidoqueen and Alakasam come with me." Sarie grated from between clenched teeth.

"But ma'am..."

"Now!"

"Yes, of course... come in, but put those coats and masks on. The doctor will arrive shortly."

***

approximately 1 hour, 3 minutes later...

"Hey, I wonder how Alec's holding up," Taro mused as he and his wife and children waited in the hospital's spacious, clean waiting room.

"Most likely better than you did," Adnap laughed.

Taro grinned. "Hey, I was worried about you," He said.

Just then Tassadar entered the room, grinning from ear to ear. "It's over, and both babies are 100% healthy," He said happily.

Adnap breathed a sigh of relief. "Good, because 3 months early is a little dangerous." Then she raised one eyebrow quizzically. "How could babies born 3 months early be perfectly healthy?"

Tassadar shrugged. "They're both a little small, but they're fully developed and everything. You two are allowed to come in, if you want. Everything's been cleaned up, and I think Sarie would want to see you."

The three entered the maternity ward and crossed the small floor space to Sarie's bed. "Oh my, they're so beautiful!" Adnap exclaimed gleefully. Sarie smiled a very tried but very grateful smile. Alec seemed beside himself, hovering over the bed, unable to take his eyes off of his two newborn children.

In truth, the two babies looked slightly squashed and pink, but their blue eyes were open and they stared with a grave curiosity at their new world. Then both babies closed their eyes and curled up more, already asleep.

The congratulatory remarks and soft cooing at the new arrivals continued for a while until Nida stepped in. "All right, let the mother have some sleep," she grunted, ushering everyone out of the room. Alec started to protest, but Nida held up one paw for silence. "No, you go shower off," She said, quite firmly. Alec obeyed quietly.

***

In the absolute silence of the hospital room, Sarie and her two newborn babies slept soundly. An explosion wouldn't have awoken them. In the silence stood a massive, dark green figure, a figure that exuded malevolence. This malevolent feeling was what awoke Sarie, rather than the faint noise of rustling grass blades that the creature made.

He was thinner than Sarie remembered him. His green-furred body was emaciated; The bones of his shoulders, spine, and ribs stuck out like craggy hills from his body. The once-silky, short-cut fur of his body was longer now, and faded. The long, ropy vines of his mane looked desiccated and brown, and they crackled when he moved. All three of his tails had lost their leaf-blade tips, and his ears looked a little ragged around the edges. Only his eyes remained the same: Great, deep, horribly evil pits of blackness with a bright white, slitted pupil in their center. Those eyes narrowed and turned red as the figure saw Sarie move, and he muttered curses under his breath as he stalked forward.

"You should be asleep, m'dear," Ryblade hissed. "I think I'll help you cure this insomnia of yours."

Immediately, against her will, Sarie began to feel a great lassitude fall over her. Thoughts came unbidden to her mind, like "Ryblade can't hurt me, he's dead," and "I really should get to sleep." Within moments, her head dropped to one side, and she was asleep.

Ryblade grinned demonically to himself as he exited the room like a shadow, the red light of his eyes illuminating the space ahead of him with a bloodred glow. "Indeed, they are the two. I shall have my revenge..."

***

Hours later...

Sarie sang softly to her sleeping children, still drowsy and half-asleep, filled with a mother's love. Alec sat beside her on a chair, stroking the tiny, bald head of his daughter, humming along to Sarie's lullaby. Neither of them noticed the caramel-colored forms stalking silently, imperceptibly towards them through the open window.

  
  


Chapter 3

Shadows Stalking

Taurus the Taurus grazed peacefully outside the window of his master's home, nibbling the juicy tips from the new grass shoots with relish. The bull had developed arthritis, a sign of his age, and enjoyed being able to graze close to his clean, warm stall. Taurus had reached his tenth year of age only a few weeks earlier, and although wild Taurus only had a lifespan of fourteen years, Taurus expected to live for another ten good years. Taro, his master, was a good trainer, and would keep the faithful pokemon alive for as long as possible.

Close by a Vileplume rested, half his body buried in soft, fertilized soil. Oddy was growing slightly brown around the edges of his petals, but the feisty plant-type wasn't planning on curling up and dying any time soon, at least not until Taurus did. Rather, he'd wait around and keep an eye on his close friend. After the War, Oddy and Taurus had vowed to grow old and crotchety together, and antagonize all the youngsters sure to come. Everyone who hadn't known Oddy and Taurus at that time avoided the pair, because they lived up to that vow almost religiously.

Growlie, a massive Arcanine the size of an RV, curled up lazily right outside the Shiddo's bedroom window, snoozing peacefully with his giant, leonine head resting on his huge front paws. It seemed impossible that the canine could have stayed unchanged for so long. Growlie didn't even have a gray hair yet; The careful care of two attentive humans had kept him in top condition. He was younger than the others by four years, anyway.

Inside the house, four human beings slept on, unaware of events in Veridian. Taro and Adnap slept in the Master Bedroom, and their twin infants slept in a nursery right across the hall. One other being moved within the house, wide awake and on the hunt. It shifted its light weight from one side to the other, its bony hindquarters low, its whip-like tail held straight out. Two milky-white points of light peered into the bedroom, and a low growl echoed against the shadowed walls, and like coiled springs unwinding, the back legs thrust outward and launched the creature towards its quarry.

***

That Beth had remained a Mew2 was strange enough in itself, but that she had taken on a Mew2-only squad at her headquarters in Celedon was stranger. The offspring of Mew2 and S2, all ten of them, were part of an exclusive, highly-trained special unit of Pokemon police officers. These Special Service Pokemon, or SSP, acted as guards at the high-security Silph Co. building, as undercover agents into crimes, and as trackers and pursuers on dangerous criminal cases. The SSA consisted of the Mew2s, five male and five female; three male Arcanine and two females (one of which was Growlie's daughter); six male Houndooms and five females; three male Persians and five females; five Nidokings (including Yin, one of Nida's sons); and five Nidoqueens (two of which were Nida's daughters).

Right now Beth was playing with a puzzle cube, sliding the cube pieces back and forth irritably. She'd been at the cube for hours and hadn't solved it yet. Although she had a Mew2's body, she didn't have its supercomputer brain, not that she was stupid. She just wasn't very good at brain puzzles. She more enjoyed feeling her fists connect with a punching bag (or, on occasion, a criminal's torso) and the cold, hard metal of a riot stick in her paws. Beth had highly-developed muscles and used them well. Usually, on her off time, she swam, and she had made it onto the Kanto Swim League (her shape caused a riot, and she almost wasn't allowed in). 

Now, however, at midnight on a Saturday, she was on duty. Her eyes quickly flickered to a monitor screen when she saw a black something out of the corner of her eye, but when she saw nothing, she passed it off as static. Nevertheless, she called in one of Mew2's handsome, powerful sons.

"Kris, check sector 2 for me, ok? I thought I saw something," she said, going back to her puzzle.

"Anything you say, sweet thing," Kris grinned, 'accidentally' touching her tail with his own.

"Back off, greeny, or I'll put you in training for a month. You're not my type," Beth growled, not looking up. Beneath her shadowy glower, though, Kris thought he detected a hint of a smile.

"All right, all right, your wish is my command." The green Mew2 bowed outrageously and hopped out the door.

"He's impossible," Beth muttered, setting the cube down on her desk. She kicked her feet up and leaned back, crossing her arms behind her head and humming a new rap tune to herself. The screens were still again, save for Kris making an ass of himself in Sector 2. He looked around seriously first but, seeing nothing was there, he turned to the camera and began making faces. 

Beth was laughing too hard to notice the black-and-yellow shadow that had slipped, like a ghost, into her office.

Chapter 4

The Gathering

Tassadar Twinspoons, an Alakasam of renown power and intelligence, sat in a lawn chair outside the Veridian Gym laughing hysterically at the comics of the Sunday papers. His whole 5-foot frame shook with mirth, and he pounded the chair arm with one spoon-holding fist as he re-read the 'Get Fuzzy' strip.

"God, Bucky is so funny!" He said, putting the paper down. "I wonder if Sarie read the comics today. I ought to call her!"

"You will not call her, Tassadar, it's only 7 AM. She's probably sleeping," Nida said, blocking the Alakasam's path with a heavy arm.

"You're right, Nida..." Tass sighed. "I'll just save the paper!"

"You're ridiculous," Nida grunted.

"No, I just finished my latté. I'm merely hyper."

"That explains a lot."

Nida turned back into the Gym, limping slightly on her left hind leg. Tassadar was instantly concerned.

"Hey, your leg hurt or something?" He asked, moving beside her.

"Just cramped. I must be getting old," She laughed, "All my moving parts seem to be breaking down."

"Stretch a bit, that always helps," Tassadar suggested.

"Yeah, I'll do that. I think I'll go for a run. Care to come?" She asked.

"Sure. I'll go see if Mew is up for it."

Tassadar strolled around the corner towards the gym's Cattery, where Mew slept. He knocked on her kennel door and she opened it, blinking sleepily.

"'sup? It's early," she yawned, rubbing her eyes with a paw.

"Nida and I are going running. Care to come?"

"Sure." Mew leaped agilely from her kennel and stretched out all four limbs before following the Alakasam outside to the sidewalk where Nida was waiting.

"Slow, aren't you?" Nida joked as they set out towards Veridian's small lake.

"Just the cat over here," Tassadar muttered, indicating Mew.

"I'm sure she just had a late night with Slash," Nida grinned evilly. If a blush could have been seen from under cream-colored fur, Mew's face would have been the color of a ripe tomato.

The embarrassed Persian was about to object when a harassed-looking teenaged human boy came running up to them, holding a baseball cap to his wayward brick-red hair.

"Larry Oak, right?" Tassadar said, turning to face the boy. "Son of Gary Oak. What brings you to Veridian?"

Larry caught his breath quickly and said, in a nervous voice, "Your master has gone missing."

Nida's heart seemed to stop for a moment at those words. "What did you say," She asked, grabbing the boy's shirt.

Larry gulped nervously before repeating, "Your master has gone missing."

"What do you mean by that," Tassadar asked, his eyes narrowed.

"She vanished from her hospital room with her husband and twin children, sir! They couldn't find a trace of what happened, except for a few hairs."

"What color hairs," Nida asked, a sinking feeling hitting her gut.

"Caramel and white," Larry replied.

"Tassadar," Mew whispered, "He's come back!"

Tassadar's eyes grew wide, and his jaw dropped. "That's not possible. He's dead!"

"We've got to rescue them!" Nida hissed, her hackles raised. "Who knows what he'll do to them. They could be dead!"

"No," Tassadar growled, shaking his head. "I would have known. They're alive. The stinking bastard took them alive so I wouldn't know about it." The Alakasam's eyes were glowing gold, and his fur stood on end with psychic power as his rage flared about him. "Damn him and his filthy minions to hell and back! I will kill him, for good this time!"

***

Taurus's sleepy reverie was disturbed by a distinct wail, the cry of one of his master's children. Instantly the animal's head came up, and his ears rotated to pinpoint the sound. He peered in through the closed window to his master's room, and with a fearsome cry, saw the empty bed and scratch marks on the carpet. He launched his bovine bulk through the window, ignoring the glass shards cutting into his hide, and thundered into the hallway. The nursery, too, was empty.

"Oddy! They're gone!" He let loose a mighty bellow and charged around a corner, his horns and head lowered. He caught sight of a whip-like black tail disappearing behind another corner and took off after it, Oddy on his heels. Growlie howled and barked up a storm outside the house.

"Kidnapper, come back here," Taurus snarled, pounding after the tail. When he turned the corner into the dining room, however, all traces of other living beings were gone, save for a few loose blue hairs caught in the shards of another broken window.

Miles away in Celedon, a few black hairs caught in a doorway were the only link to the disappearance of Beth. And, further off, beyond marked cities, two white-on-ebony eyes crinkled into a smile.

***

Tassadar had called a meeting of the missing trainers' pokemon, and the creatures sat in solemn silence, listening to Taurus's enraged snorting and Tassadar's hisses. They were all there, except for Cyberr, Oddy, and Moonstone who had been left behind to guard the homes. The rest sat in a dark cave outside of Veridian.

"This has to be the work of Ryblade," Chester growled. "Who else would leave those distinctive hairs?"

"I don't know," Chip muttered, "It could be a scam."

Tails snorted derisively. "Who would want to harm them, other than that foul creature?"

"Team Rocket might have had a hand in this," Epona said softly.

"They aren't smart enough to pull this off," Was Nails's pointed reply.

"Whoever did this," Nida growled, interrupting the others, "We must start searching immediately."

"But if we don't know who took them, how will we find them?" Growlie asked. "I know Adnap and Taro's scents by heart, but I need a place to start sniffing."

"I will track them," Tassadar said quietly. "They were smart enough to prevent me from immediately knowing they were gone, but by not killing them, they keep the psychic link up. I can track Sarie and discover her approximate location."

"Since Tassadar can track them, he must be part of the search team," Nida said rationally.

"What search team?" Taurus demanded. "We all ought to go together!"

"A massive group would disrupt the search, and someone must stay behind to guard the homes and run the gym," Came Nida's reply. "We shall choose at least one pokemon from each trainer to come, in order to keep contact with them. We know our masters best."

"I will come, then, for Taro. You will not leave me behind," The bull growled.

"I will come for Adnap," Growlie said, bearing his fangs. "I can smell, and I can fight."

"I'm in for Alec," Epona nickered. "I know his voice and sounds well, and I will help find them."

"I'm in for Beth!" Chester said loudly, his cheek sacks buzzing. "I may not be able to smell as well as Growlie, but I'll kill whoever took Beth!"

"I will also accompany you," Mew said quietly. "Tassadar does not count."

"I'll come too," Said a low voice from the back of the barn. From the shadows stepped the tall, muscular Mew2 Kris. "I'm trained in the fighting arts, and I want to find Beth."

"Then the team is picked," Tassadar said with a note of finality to stem arguments. "Myself, Mew, Taurus, Epona, Chester, Growlie, and Kris, we'll leave tonight."

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



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